The methods and apparatus of the present invention are directed to modification and improvement of automatic transmissions for automotive vehicles of the type installed by the original equipment manufacturers. It is particularly directed to the improvement and modification of automotive transmissions known as "440-s".
The "heart" of an automatic transmission is the valve body. Among other things, the valve body receives input signals in the form of hydraulic pressures to control the shifting pattern and timing of an automatic transmission. A more detailed discussion of the operation and importance of the valve body in an automatic transmission system for automobiles may be found with reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,426, issued to the present inventor on May 22, 1984.
Automatic transmissions installed by original equipment manufacturers are calibrated to provide gear shifts to accommodate the comfort of the driver and passengers. However, the original shifting pattern is generally inefficient from a mechanical point of view and tends to shorten the useful life of the original transmission. Correcting and modifying an original automatic transmission through structural modification of the valve body, is complicated, laborious and expensive.
It is the object of the present invention to correct and modify deficiencies of automatic transmission installed by original equipment manufacturers without making any substantial structural modifications to the valve body itself. The corrections and modifications provided by the methods and systems of the present invention are directed to the employment of fluid mechanics which modify regulation or output signals of the original valve body to operate the sub-systems of the automatic transmission to overcome inherent drawbacks therein. Other objects and advantages of the method and systems of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following discussion.